Dodge County to host Clean Sweep Program Sept. 12, 13

Monday, August 11, 2008 12:28 PM CDT

JUNEAU - Dodge County will again sponsor a Clean Sweep Program this fall.

As in the past, both an Agricultural Clean Sweep Program for area farmers and a Household Hazardous Waste Clean Sweep for all Dodge County residents will be offered on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 12 and 13. For ease of disposal, satellite sites will be set up in several communities throughout the county.

Materials will be collected at the Hustisford Town Hall and the Mayville Dodge County highway garage on Friday, Sept. 12 from 3 to 6 p.m. The collection site on Saturday, Sept. 13 will be at the Dodge County highway shop at N8856 County Highway A, Beaver Dam, from 8 a.m. to noon.

The Small Business Waste Disposal or VSQG Collection will be held at the Hustisford site. A VSQG is a small business that generates less than 2,205 pounds of legally defined hazardous waste. The VSQG program allows these small businesses to take advantage of the lower collection and disposal rates negotiated by the state of Wisconsin for household and agricultural hazardous waste collection programs. Agricultural small businesses are also eligible to receive 50 percent cost share from state pesticide funds, lowering the cost even more.

To participate, businesses must contact the University of Wisconsin-Extension office at 386-3790. Businesses will then be put in contact with the waste disposal company to develop a collection and disposal contract.

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The Clean Sweep Program is an opportunity to properly dispose of unwanted, unused, damaged or banned hazardous chemicals. The agricultural program rids materials from abandoned farms or farms currently in operation. Household Clean Sweep is an opportunity to dispose of household, lawn and garden chemicals, pesticides, cleaning materials, and other hazardous products around the home.

The Clean Sweep Program has certain benefits, which includes reducing risk of injury from chemical exposure and reducing risk of surface and groundwater pollution for Wisconsin residents.

New for this year is the pharmaceutical collection. Pills, liquids, creams, over the counter items, inhalers, and pet medications will be collected at the Beaver Dam site only. Keep medications in their original containers. You can cross out your name, but keep the prescription name and dosage on the containers. Sharps and needles for human use will not be accepted.

There will also be a computer collection program. Too many obsolete computers are being stored in homes or ending up in landfills instead of being recycled. High amounts of hazardous materials like lead, cadmium and mercury can be released if they are sent to landfills. A $10 fee will be collected for the disposal of monitors. Printers and CPUs will be discarded for no cost to consumers. Collection will be held only at the Beaver Dam site on Saturday morning.

There are some materials that will not be accepted through either Clean Sweep Program. The unacceptable items include explosives, ammunition, radioactive, infectious or biological wastes, compressed gas cylinders, batteries, fluorescent lights, tires, plastic pesticide containers, or medical supplies. Latex paints are not being accepted.

If one does not know what the chemical is because the container is too old or the label is lost it can still be disposed of at the clean sweep site. Do not mix items together. An entirely different product is produced when several are combined. If at all possible, always bring the material in the original container.

Household Clean Sweep is available at each site and participants simply drive to the sites with their materials for free disposal. Agricultural Clean Sweep items can be dropped off at all sites for free disposal, but it is requested that farms pre-register by calling the UW-Extension office. Pre-registration allows officials to prepare for the materials that will be coming in. Small businesses (VSQGs) also must pre-register and materials can only be taken to the Hustisford site. Pre-registration is required by Sept. 2 for the VSQG program and Sept. 8 for agricultural items.

These programs are made possible with funding provided by the Dodge County Board of Supervisors, Veolia ES Glacier Ridge Landfill and grant funding from the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. To pre-register or for more information about the Clean Sweep Program, call the UW-Extension office at 386-3790.